Question

The anticoagulant most commonly used to store blood in the blood banks is
A) Sodium nitrate
B) Sodium fluoride
C) EDTA
D) Acid citrate dextrose

Answer 1

Hint: Blood is an important body fluid and it performs several important functions of the body. It consists of oxygen carrying cells and infection fighting components. In case of severe injuries and fatal medical conditions, the body may lose its blood and this condition may require blood transfusion. For this reason, blood is stored in the blood banks and preserved through proper process.

Complete answer:
The blood banks are centers where blood is collected, gathered and stored for future uses. In the blood banks, the collected blood is properly preserved for later use in the cases of medical emergencies. The several processes of blood collection, processing and storage requires some specific methods so that blood can be preserved properly.
Anticoagulants are chemicals that cause to reduce the coagulation of blood by prolonging the blood clotting time period. They are also known as blood thinners. They prevent the blood from clotting or coagulation. The anticoagulants work to inhibit specific pathways of the coagulation cascade reactions which leads to the formation of fibrin and stable aggregate platelet products.
The use of anticoagulants is important in the blood bags that are stored in the blood banks as they do not allow the stored blood to clot in the bag itself. If the coagulation of blood in the bag is not avoided, the blood will be clogged up and it cannot be used for any medical conditions. Acid citrate dextrose is one of the most important anticoagulants that is employed for the stored blood. It does not allow the blood to coagulate. It inhibits the action of the binding of the calcium ions which is one of the factors for coagulation. It is a commonly used anticoagulant in the process of plasmapheresis or removal of blood plasma or blood cells.
Sodium nitrate is a white solid chemical that is used in several reactions that are carried out on industrial scales for the production of fertilizers, glass enamels, food preservatives etc.
Sodium fluoride is used in trace amounts in the process of fluoridation of drinking water, toothpaste and also in the pesticides.

Therefore, the correct option is option D.

Note: The complete process of storing and preserving blood requires measures such as storage in proper bags, separation of different components of blood and use of proper anticoagulants. Acid citrate dextrose is the most commonly used anticoagulant to store blood in the blood banks as it prevents coagulation by inhibiting the action of the calcium ions.